1.
Jotham was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok.
1. Jotham was twenty and five years
old—(See on ).
His mother's name . . .
Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok—or descendant of the famous
priest of that name [2 Samuel 8:17].
2.
And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah did: howbeit he entered not into the temple of the LORD. And the people did yet corruptly.
2. he did that which was right—The
general rectitude of his government is described by representing it
as conducted on the excellent principles which had guided the early
part of his father's reign.
the people did yet
corruptly—(See 2 Kings 15:35);
but the description here is more emphatic, that though Jotham did
much to promote the good of his kingdom and aimed at a thorough
reformation in religion, the widespread and inveterate wickedness of
the people frustrated all his laudable efforts.
3.
He built the high gate of the house of the LORD, and on the wall of Ophel he built much.
3. He built the high gate of the
house of the Lord—situated on the north—that portion of the
temple hill which was high compared with the southern part—hence
"the higher," or upper gate (see on ). He built, that is, repaired or embellished.
and on the wall of
Ophel—Hebrew, "the Ophel," that is, the mound,
or eminence on the southeastern slope of the temple mount, a ridge
lying between the valleys Kedron and Tyropoeligon, called "the
lower city" [JOSEPHUS].
He
built much—having the
same desire as his father to secure the defense of Jerusalem in every
direction.
4.
Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers.
4. in the mountains of Judah, and in
the forests he built castles and towers—that is, in the
elevated and wooded spots where fortified cities could not be placed,
he erected castles and towers.
. HE SUBDUES
THE AMMONITES.
5.
He fought also with the king of the Ammonites, and prevailed against them. And the children of Ammon gave him the same year an hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. So much did the children of Ammon pay unto him, both the second year, and the third.
5. He fought also with the king of
the Ammonites—This invasion he not only repelled, but, pursuing
the Ammonites into their own territory, he imposed on them a yearly
tribute, which, for two years, they paid. But when Rezin, king of
Syria, and Pekah, king of Israel, combined to attack the kingdom of
Judah, they took the opportunity of revolting, and Jotham was too
distracted by other matters to attempt the reconquest (see on ).
6.
So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the LORD his God.
7.
Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
8.
He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem.
9.
And Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.